It details recently how my reading habits have changed. I’m deliberately becoming a much better reader, and by “better” I mean a reader of more essential books.

See, I used to dabble, especially in popular fiction. I tried to keep up with the trendy books, many of which left me disappointed.

Then one day I noticed on my iTunes library that I’ve played about a dozen songs more than 100 times. There’s some Mark Knopfler, Van Morrison, Stones, Petty, etc.

And they’re all great songs. But 100 times? That’s too redundant.

Then I thought about my favorite movies. Have there been any movies I’ve seen that often? “Cool Hand Luke?” “Shawshank Redemption?” “Wizard of Oz?”

As a father of daughters, I’ve probably seen “Frozen” hundreds of times, once I think all on the same school snow day.

Then I thought about my favorite books. I’d read “Moby Dick” just once. I’d read “Catch-22” once or twice. “Lonesome Dove,” one time, too. The admission makes me seem like an intellectual Lilliputian now, but until last summer I’d never read “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

These books and dozens of others had meant more to me than the songs or the movies. Yet, I’d take a book, read it once, put it on the shelf and just sort of forget it. It felt neglectful.

So I decided last year I would spend more time reading the great books again and again and again.

I still love historic non-fiction by Tony Horwitz, Erik Larsen, Simon Winchester and Hampton Sides — and reading the monumental Robert Caro books on LBJ in the past year has been one of the richest reading experiences of my life.

But it’s the reconnecting with timeless literature that’s been the most satisfying.

Lately, I’ve spent hour after hour immersed in “The Grapes of Wrath.” I’ve found I can’t get enough of Steinbeck and thoroughly enjoyed his “Travels With Charley.”

Now I’m on a mission to read all the greatest books until I have vast swaths of their glory committed to memory.

It’s an exercise where even the failures involve accomplishment.

So I won’t be reading the latest “soon-to-be-a-major motion picture!” bestseller. I’m going to instead buy and read all the books that still mean something sacred to so many.

I hope one day when I’m gone people see my treasured stacks of books and see not a waste, but a monument to a life well lived.

Over-drinking, over-eating, over-recreating — reading alone is the one extravagance I just can’t see myself ever shedding.

readers since 1/1/14

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"Last Baby Boomer!"

About Me

I'm the Latrobe, Pa., based author of "The Last Baby Boomer: The Story of the Ultimate Ghoul Pool," and "Use All The Crayons! The Colorful Guide to Simple Human Happiness." I'll write for anybody who'll pay me. I am a PROSEtitute